Friends and Family
by Nanari
Summary: Daniel reflects on the new team dynamic, especially his own relationship with Cameron Mitchell. Some small spoilers for Protoype, Fourth Horseman part 2, and Off the Grid. No intended slash or pairings.


A/N: This came to me after watching Off the Grid. The final scene made me smile. Big thanks to those who transcribed the season 9 episodes; I based my version off the transcripts found at the Stargate Wiki on Stargate Sg-1 Solutions dot com. (btw if anyone has a more accurate version of the last few line of Off the Grid, please contact me so I can fix it.)

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Friends and Family  
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After almost 9 years of working with the Stargate Program Dr. Daniel Jackson knew he'd found a family. But when SG-1 got a new commanding officer, the last thing Daniel expected to get was a brother.

To Daniel, that was just what Cameron Mitchell seemed like: an over eager, slightly annoying, and way too excited-about-his-job, younger brother. He'd had siblings in his foster homes growing up, and Sam might as well be his twin sister for how close they were, but he'd never really experienced the good natured rivalry and camaraderie that he now shared with the newest member of SG-1. His friendship with Jack O'Neill was as close as going through life and death situations together for many years could make it, but Daniel had to admit that Jack was more of a mentor than a brother. Teal'c and O'Neill were truly brothers in arms, but Daniel did not fit in that mold. True, he was no longer the geeky archeologist with long hair who didn't know what to do with a gun, but even now he did not have the same warrior mentality which bound Teal'c and O'Neill a bond which had been apparent even from the first moment they met. There was no doubt that SG-1 was his family, and many people in the SGC who he was honored to call "friend", but only Mitchell made him feel that peculiar blend of protectiveness and exasperation normally brought on by younger siblings.

At first Daniel hadn't really known what to make of the enthusiastic young man who had done his damndest to "get the band back together." It wasn't that he doubted Mitchell's abilities or combat experience, but he wasn't sure if the young pilot had what it took to deal with all the strangeness their job entailed. Put bluntly, Daniel wasn't sure he would be able to fill the large shoes left by O'Neill as the leader of SG-1. If anyone should command the flagship unit of the SGC it was Sam. She had been part of the program from the beginning, and more importantly in Daniel's mind, he knew her and they worked well together. The times when Daniel had been working with other SG units as an archeologist, the military commanders didn't quite know what to make of him. He and Jack understood each other, and "had history" in a big way. They clashed more times than he could count, but he had a fair idea of where he stood with Jack. With Mitchell, Daniel was put in the unusual and rather uncomfortable position of having far more experience than his commanding officer in practically every way when it came to going off world….

_(From Prototype)_

_They have found an underground science lab. Mitchell, walking through the chamber, sees a control panel with buttons on it his right, and reaches for one, despite the fact that he cannot read the writing on them.  
Daniel, seeing him about to touch something, tries to warn him. "Wait! Wait!"_

_Mitchell hits the button, looking at Daniel innocently. "What? I was looking for the light switch."_

_They hear the sound of some kind of machine activating. Daniel walks through the DNA hologram to stand beside Mitchell, and sighing in exasperation, shines his flashlight at Mitchell's chest.  
"New guy!"_

_Mitchell gestures toward the pedestal they had passed on the way to the far side of the lab. "Hey, you touched that!"_

_Daniel resists the urge to roll his eyes. "Um, I know how to read that!"_

However, as tiring as it could be to have to watch out for the "new guy," Daniel had to admit that he genuinely did admire the guy's spunk. Mitchell definitely had courage, and knew what he was doing with a gun. Although he could be rash sometimes…okay, a lot of times, he had proven himself to be an able leader. He knew that Sam, Teal'c and Daniel had a lot more experience in some areas than he did, and was ready and willing to listen to their ideas and suggestions. Instead of making him a weak leader, his willingness to listen to others was part of what made their unlikely little group work. He was slowly finding his place in Stargate Command and on SG-1, and Sam, Daniel and Teal'c slowly became accustomed to his exuberance. It didn't hurt that he had a brand of sarcasm almost as fierce as Daniel's own. More liberal in its application, Mitchell also had almost as many clichés as O'Neill, though of a slightly less cheesy nature. In addition, he was able to keep abreast of Sam's "techno babble" and Daniel's own rapid-fire explanations, and seemed to be accepted by Teal'c as a fellow warrior. All in all, Daniel was coming to accept Mitchell as an integral part of SG-1. And, he was getting to like the guy on a personal level as well. It was hard not to, in all honesty. His sense of humor was rather tiring after awhile, but he rarely lost his happy-go lucky attitude.

_(From The Fourth Horsemen, part 2)_

_After capturing a Prior of the Ori and disabling his powers, Daniel and Mitchell attempt to question the Prior:_

"_That warm, fuzzy feeling you're experiencing may be the effects of a device that inhibiting your ability to concentrate and focus your powers." Said Daniel, coming around to stand beside Mitchell._

_Mitchell, being the smartass flyboy he was, couldn't resist a jibe. "Symptoms may include dizziness, irritability…"_

"_Nausea." Put in Daniel._

"_Mild nausea, and a condition known as hot dog fingers." Mitchell continues, accepting Daniel's contribution with a grin. He wiggles his fingers for effect as he finished his taunt._

_The Prior ignores their antics. "It makes no difference what you do to me. But know this, the Ori are all seeing."_

_They look at the sky with exaggerated expectancy. Haikon and Jolan look at each other and shake their heads._

_The Prior continues doggedly. "They are already aware of this affront to their eminence, and shall strike down those who dare to defy them."_

_Mitchell and Daniel exchange a glance. "Nothing yet, you?" Cam turns to Daniel._

"_Drawing a blank." Oblivious to the incredulous look from the Prior, Daniel continues. "A little thirsty."  
"That doesn't count".  
Daniel, straight faced, agrees. "No, it doesn't." _

_Not sure how to deal with the two strangely acting men, the Prior once again resorts to rhetoric of the Ori. "Their ways are not so easily divined. Their ways are unseen and veiled in mystery."_

"_Right, right, they "have a plan."" Daniel says, and you can hear the quotation marks in his voice. Mitchell emphasizes the sarcasm with air quotation marks made by his fingers.  
"I don't suppose you want to tell us what that is? Why'd they send you to this galaxy in the first place?"_

_Unhelpful as always, the only response from the Prior is "We are beacons on the road to enlightenment."_

_Mitchell has just about had enough of this. "No, you're dark-side intergalactic encyclopedia salesmen. Unfortunately, the home office hasn't been quite upfront with you."  
"Nice work on the metaphor." Daniel compliments Mitchell.  
"Thank you."_

That being said, Daniel had seen the more serious side of him, and knew that like all of them, Mitchell carried emotional scars that went far beyond any physical pain they would suffer in the course of their missions. It was this kind of vulnerability that made Daniel feel almost like an older brother. Mitchell's antics often got on his nerves, but the young colonel was very earnest in his desire to fight the bad guys and protect the galaxy, and helped Daniel to remember what it was like in the early days of SG-1. They had their good days, and their bad days, but at the end of them all, what counted was the effort they put into it. Mitchell encouraged them to do their best, and Daniel was proud to have him on the team. Annoying, hyper active and relatively green though he was, Cameron Mitchell had become another member of Daniel's odd little family.

_"We have the greatest job in the world!"_

_"I'm gonna go grab a shower." _

_"Yeah, I'm gonna find the doctor." _

"_I agree, Colonel Mitchell. We do indeed have very satisfactory employment." _

"_Yup. Great day."_

_(Final scene of Off the Grid, quoted from memory.)_


End file.
